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“Detection of sub-nanogram levels of SEA-SEC in liquid samples, preferable using field
deployable assay in less than four hours.”
IX.
SPADA Executive Advisory Panel Discussion
Davenport took the floor and explained that the United States Department of Homeland Security
(DHS) has provided infrastructure funding to SPADA to encourage discussions on future priorities,
especially the needs of first responders for standards and rapid assays that have been tested to
those standards. The discussion that ensued was part of DHS infrastructure support.
Davenport said that he has spoken to David Ladd (IAB / Massachusetts Department of Fire Services)
who is working on a position paper for DHS to move further and faster in the development of
handheld technologies for first responders that have been tested and proven to perform to a known
level of standard. Often first responders must make important decisions (closing down a facility, for
example) based on the hand-held assay results, but do not know how well those assays perform. Lin
advised that there are multiple layers that need to be developed to meet first responder needs.
Reference materials need to be updated and developed to meet today's standards and be readily
available for assay manufacturers. The assays themselves need to be developed and tested to
established performance standards. And training for the first responder in the use of those assays in
the field is critical.
Johns suggested the development of tactical standards for threats that are currently unknown, and
asked if a system could be developed to rapidly develop standards for these unknowns.
Another SPADA member suggested revisiting the older SPADA standards. There is a tremendous
amount of genotypic availability around the world and it could be worthwhile to revisit some of the
older strain panels to ensure they are diverse enough. A DoD representative volunteered to bring
this concept to the attention of the DTRA Program Manager.
X.
Adjourn
The SPADA Meeting adjourned at approximately 4:00 p.m. EDT. McIver announced that the working
groups would be held consecutively on the following day beginning at 9:00 a.m. EDT.